Officer Down: Jack
by LacytheRomanWerewolf
Summary: *smiles* Look at the title. Jack. You know you don't need a summary. *clears throat* And I can't think of one. *grins* HP


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Lacy here. No matter what I write, the introduction of Jack will always been important. He is one of my favorite characters to write, partly because he's so like his father but also because at the same time, he's his own person. I guess you figured out this story brings Jack into things. Now this is just after Minimal Loss so Emily is still bruised, though her face is basically faded. Her stomach on the other hand is still pretty bad. You'll see why that matters. Have fun.

Disclaimer: *peaks around wall of Criminal Minds set* Now where are the writers? *feels tap on shoulder. turns and see security* Crap.

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~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~

Emily stood in her bedroom, looking at her stomach in her mirror and sighed. It was Hotch's weekend with Jack and the two had come to Emily's place. Thankfully before starting a romantic relationship, Emily and Hotch were already close so Jack knew her. It made it easier for him to accept his daddy dating someone. Jack loved Emily and told her every time he saw her. However when the two Hotchners had arrived, Jack had ran into Emily as he hugged her and she'd fallen back against the counter. She caught the corner of it right in one of her worst bruises from Cyrus. She tried to cover it up but Hotch noticed and told her to go make sure she was ok. She could see where she hit the counter but everything else was the same.

"Emmy,"

Emily slid her shirt down fast and faced Jack, who was standing in the doorway watching her with wide eyes.

"Jack, where's your dad?" Emily asked as Jack walked over to her.

Jack didn't answer. Emily seemed frozen as Jack's child like curiosity and Hotchner concern had him walking to her and lifting the bottom of her shirt to see the bruises.

"What happened Emmy?" Jack asked.

Emily sighed and lowered her shirt again. She took Jack's hand and walked over to the bed with him. Sitting down, Emily lifted Jack up beside her. It hurt but Emily knew Jack wouldn't let this go. If she didn't tell him, he'd ask his father and Emily still saw the haunted look in Hotch's eyes when he saw the bruises.

"A few days ago, I was hurt by a bad man." Emily started, using simple terms that Jack would understand. "And the bruises are from him."

"What happened to the bad man?" Jack asked, his eyes still fixed on Emily's stomach.

"He's gone now Jack." Emily said. "He can't hurt me any more and in time the bruises will be gone too."

"Do they hurt?" Jack asked.

Emily nodded. "A little yeah."

Jack nodded too and was silent for a second. Then he moved and placed a kiss on Emily's stomach. He looked up at Emily with a smile.

"They better?" he asked.

Emily smiled as well. "So much better."

Jack hugged Emily carefully. "Good."

Emily hugged Jack back and looked up to see Hotch watching them from the doorway with a smile of his own.

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Hotch had followed Jack upstairs, not wanting him to surprise Emily while she was checking her stomach over. However he'd gotten there a bit too late and had heard the whole exchange. He wasn't surprised Emily had explained to Jack what had happened. She didn't shy away from things just because they might be difficult. Case in point, their relationship. He was sure there were plenty of guys out there that didn't come with a child and as much baggage as Hotch had but Emily was with him anyway. She'd explained that if she wanted someone else, she'd look for someone else but she wanted him and she was staying right where she was.

"You're just going to have to deal with it." she'd said with a smirk.

Hotch's only reaction to that had been to shake his head and laugh while he wondered how he got so lucky.

"Did Daddy get the bad guy for hurting you Emmy?" Jack asked, yanking Hotch from his thoughts.

"Why would Daddy have to get him?" Emily asked.

"Cause you our Emmy." Jack said. "And we have ta protect you."

Emily bit her lip to keeping from tearing up at the look of determination on Jack's face.

"I didn't get him Jack." Hotch said walking in. "But Mr. Derek did."

Jack knew everyone on the team by Mr. or Miss and then their first name. Except Emily but when questioned, Jack would just say Emily was special.

Jack faced his father. "Good."

"Lunch is ready buddy," Hotch said. "so go wash your hands and Emily and I will be right down."

Jack said ok and after hugging Emily one more time, he bounced off the bed and headed back downstairs. Hotch took up Jack's place beside Emily.

"You alright?" Hotch asked.

Emily nodded. "Yeah, there's a mark from the corner but it's nothing."

Hotch ghosted his hand over Emily's stomach. "Guess Jack's a little stronger then we thought."

Emily smiled. "So it would seem. But that's ok." she noticed Hotch's gaze seemed stuck on her stomach and her smile slowly vanished. "Hey," she took his hand. "I'm fine. Like I said to Jack, the bruises will fade and Cyrus is gone."

"I can still hear it. Every bit." Hotch said, his voice almost distant.

"I know." Emily said. "Believe me, I know." she'd been the one to wake him from the nightmares about it the past couple of nights. "But that will fade too. You know it will."

Hotch sighed and looked back up at Emily. "I'm kinda dragging the mood down, aren't I?"

Emily smiled again. "Aaron, you're allowed to be upset. I'm still upset."

"You don't show it." Hotch said.

"Jack helps." Emily said. "And so do you."

Hotch smiled. "Ok." he nodded to the door. "We should probably get down there before Jack decides we've forgotten him."

Emily laughed as she and Hotch stood. "Right, like we could ever forget him."

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For the rest of the day, Jack was very careful around Emily, not wanting to hurt her. Emily, not one liking to be babied, found she couldn't get frustrated with Jack like she would with anyone else. He was just doing what he thought was best and as he did, Emily saw so much of Hotch in him. After dinner, Hotch told Emily to go sit in the living room while he took care of the dishes. Jack followed her and after she sat down, pulled a blanket over her lap.

"What's this for Jack?" Emily asked.

"To keep you warm." Jack said.

Emily smiled and lifted one side of the blanket. "How about it keeps us both warm?"

Jack nodded and climbed up onto the couch. He leaned carefully against Emily and smiled as Emily wrapped her arm around him.

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After tucking Jack into the guest room bed, Hotch made his way back downstairs and found Emily cleaning up the living room. Something she'd wanted to do all day but Jack wouldn't let her.

"Taking advantage of Jack being asleep?" Hotch asked.

Emily smiled at him over her shoulder as she placed a few DVD cases back where they went.

"I love your son Aaron, but he's more protective then you are." Emily said.

Hotch chuckled as he sat on the couch. "That he is. But do you really mind?"

Emily shook her head as she sat beside Hotch. "No, I can't say I do. It's cute."

Hotch kissed Emily on the side of the head. "He cares about you."

Emily bit her lip. "Is it ok with you that I explained what happened to Jack?" she hadn't even thought about asking Hotch first if it was ok to share that with Jack. It wasn't really something he should know about at his age.

"It's perfectly alright Em." Hotch said. "You didn't tell him anything I wouldn't have."

Emily leaned against Hotch's side carefully, mindful of her own. "Ok."

Hotch grabbed the blanket that had been covering Emily and Jack for the past few hours and laid it over her again as she started to drift off. It wouldn't be the first time they'd fallen asleep on the couch and he was positive it wouldn't be the last.

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*grins* That little boy is so cute. Like I said above, it was his childlike curiosity and Hotchner concern that had him forgetting rules and lifting Em's shirt. You have to admit, if Jack caught a glimpse of 'his Emmy' hurt, he'd need to see it completely. Let me know what you think, flame policy stands and thanks for reading.

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